PHX airport needs power outlets !

[gizmo_sc]

US Airways does not even have an APP for smartphones EITHER !!!!

 

[SparrowHawk]

Back when I worked for US Airways I asked the station manager about adding power outlets to the gate areas. His comment was the following " We are not going to cater to individuals for things like that, there are plenty of outlets for the cleaners so passengers can just use them.

Over at SOUTHWEST Airlines most gate areas has lounge chairs with a table between them that has both OUTLETS for 110V and USB. Parallel to all the gate areas are counter height white areas with 110v below about 10-12 at each gate for passengers. You can always see someone sitting there with their laptop and cell phone plugged in working or just surfing.

And WHICH airline has been profitable for 35 odd years?
Which Airline pays better?
Which Airline has a better reputation?

I'm not sure but I think it's the one with the power outlets in the gate areas?

 

[nycbusdriver]

There is C and D labeled concourses already in use in that same terminal...

Ok, then. Let's take it slowly and be a bit more explicit.

Is there an alphabet shortage in PHX?

Instead of A,B,C,D, would it have been impossible to use E, F, G, and H? (MIA concourses go to H, so it would not be unprecedented and unworkable.)

 

[hp-csr-phx]

PHX need a major remodel. The FIDS are tiny by today's standards. The LED screens behind the podiums are 20 year old technology. Most of the LED's above the gate door's are inop. Plus we need charging stations for our customers. Mgmt states we don't need inflight entertainment because everyone has their own, then we need a place for the customer to recharge their mp3, laptops and tablets between flights. Also when PHX was built the plan was for eventially 8 concourses. I have no idea who decided not to use A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Makes much for sense than to have 2 A's, 2 B,s and 2 C's.

 

[SparrowHawk]

The LED screens behind the podiums are 20 year old technology. Most of the LED's above the gate door's are inop.

Well really what do you expect? They run SHARES don't they? A 46 year old technology that started as System One at Eastern in 1965.

 

[ChockJockey]

Yet another steaming thread for haters to buzz around like flies over dung. The same, pompous self-informed and laughingly predictable condemnations from the same usual suspect (and I don't mean freedom).

someone should at least make sure their in working order

Agreed. I nominate you.

that's the very LEAST we could do .

Actually, the very least we could do is complain about it anonymously on an online message board and expect mysterious, shadowy others to fix it for us. Any problem worth mentioning here is certainly a problem worth trying to solve, right? Who knows, it might even be fun. That way we can turn this thread into a productive, collaborative effort instead of the same bucket o' bitchin'.


Let us identify the problem:

There is a lack of working power outlets and power outlets overall in the N1, N2, N3, and N4 concourses of Terminal 4.

This is bad because:

• Custopax are unable to charge the devices they use for entertainment and work while flying since US has no real IFE to speak of.
• Custopax have to crowd uncomfortably around outlets or sit on the floor to use or charge these devices, detracting from their traveling experience.
• Custopax will be less willing to purchase in-flight WiFi service if their device isn't powered.
• Terminal tenants and contractors also use power outlets for daily airport operations.

The problem could be solved (to different degrees) by:

1. Introducing a customer-friendly solution such as charging stations that increase convenience and reduce frustration.
2. Simply increase the number of available power outlets in the terminal. Can some disused podiums be refurbished and equipped with additional outlets to create low-cost charging stations?
3. Only repair those outlets that are broken.

The only thing missing now is data. This will require some work. You will need:

• The number of custopax-accessible outlets in all four concourses.
• The number of those outlets that are not working (they will need to be tested)
• The number of available, working outlets (if any) during T4's daily maximum terminal occupancy.
• The percentage of custopax that use charging-dependent devices at the gate or in-flight (stuff like this might be online)
• An exploration of existing solutions elsewhere, specifically, how WN does it on the other side of T4.
• A survey of US CSR's who have the most exposure to the environment and their opinions on how big a problem they consider it.
• An online canvassing of custopax at other forums (anet, flyertalk?) about the solutions they've seen and why they liked them.

This information will give you a much improved idea of the problem, information that that is necessary and useful in solving it (since anecdotal accounts typically are not). Once you have the data you can compile a report or proposal or a super-RFA and send it (anonymously) to all responsible parties including the facilities people at US and COP and anyone else you can think of, and post it here too of course. If you are able to get the information listed above I will happily write this for you.

So I'm just putting this out there. If anyone else has any thoughts or ideas on how to go about this then by all means share. If people want to gleefully recount for the billionth all the ways US sucks they can take it elsewhere. There's an old saying, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem". I like that. "Put up or shut up", that's a nice one too.

 

[luvn737s]

How about running an airline that is efficient enough so that passengers don't wait around in PHX long enough for a battery to recharge?

Or we need more rocking chairs. Lots and lots and lots of rocking chairs! We could call them Parella Perches.

 

[SparrowHawk]

The layout of the WN solution is the most workable IMO. US could add some graphics to the "Plain Jane" look of the WN stations. The additions to the gate area need to be taken from the Marketing budget as they are in essence another way to promote the brand.

Several points:

The charging kiosks (for lack of a better name) need to be designed in such a way that they can be added to ANY gate in the US System.
Given US's reputation the charging kiosks need to have the word FREE! splattered all over them.
With the right technology the kiosks could be enabled to sell wi-fi and anything else sold by US in advance making for a more pleasant in flight experience.
Maybe you buy the wi-fi at the kiosk for the time you're waiting and the service transfers to the A/C

My point is that with some creative thought US can take what I'm pretty sure it views as a cost and turn it into a competitive advantage. Given US's relative size disadvantage any differentiators that are perceived as customer friendly works to their advantage.

US Airways IMO needs to let some of the moths out of their wallet and do some marketing. Fine tune the brand abd marketing message. The product and operations are now at least satisfactory if not a bit better. Problem is nobody knows it.

 

[ChockJockey]

How about running an airline that is efficient enough so that passengers don't wait around in PHX long enough for a battery to recharge?

You mean so that when people come off a flight with a drained battery they won't have time to charge it before they board their connection? All we have to do is eliminate weather delays, MX delays, ATC and everything else that contributes to people having to wait around in airport terminals. All this would take is for Doug to snap his fingers to fix it with his dark magic but he's probably too lit up to do so. This is a great solution for someone not interested in solving the problem, you're a perfect fit for US and I'm glad you are my airline pal.

 

[luvn737s]

No, I think many things could be done to streamline the hub connection including reducing the pad time that artificially makes bad performance look good. Redesign the push back process at east coast hubs so that aircraft don't have to be pushed back and pulled forward, but merely pushed and turned to allow for simultaneous pushbacks.

Efficiencies can be found and they are additive.

 

[ChockJockey]

No, I think many things could be done to streamline the hub connection including reducing the pad time that artificially makes bad performance look good. Redesign the push back process at east coast hubs so that aircraft don't have to be pushed back and pulled forward, but merely pushed and turned to allow for simultaneous pushbacks.

Efficiencies can be found and they are additive.

How does changing the push back process in CLT help me any if I have a layover in PHX and am desperate to charge my iPad?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

PHX airport is a DUMP! The terminals are too small to accommodate the pax traffic coming into that airport. You stand in line forever to use one of the vendors and finding a place to sit at the gate is a joke. It's a sad place for a sad part of the airline.

Later,
Eye

 

[ChockJockey]

PHX airport is a DUMP! The terminals are too small to accommodate the pax traffic coming into that airport. You stand in line forever to use one of the vendors and finding a place to sit at the gate is a joke.

Yup. Pretty much.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Yup. Pretty much.

Well you can't blame US for a crappy Airport design. Connecting through there is the airline version of a Deep Cleaning. Almost as bad as a root canal but not quite. Makes PHL look like the best airport in the world and that's a real trick to pull off.

 

[ChockJockey]

Well you can't blame US for a crappy Airport design. Connecting through there is the airline version of a Deep Cleaning. Almost as bad as a root canal but not quite. Makes PHL look like the best airport in the world and that's a real trick to pull off.

The design was probably adequate for what the requirements were at the time (early 90's). The gates and concourses were seemingly set up to accommodate mostly 737's. Now with the re-design of the ramp the old 737-only gates can hold 319/320's and more gates can take 321's. The planes are now so close a spry enough person could jump from wingtip to wingtip. In terms of seating availability the N2 concourse (A1-A14) is probably the worst. It was also the first built.

I can only guess at what the seat to gate ratio is in N2...maybe 40/1? Others may know better. Not so hot for any gate that can take a 321 or 757 though. There's no way to make room for more without eliminating retail space, which I don't think the city would ever go for.